Ballast system



Nov. 13, 1962 .1. A. WINKER 3,063,598

BALLAST SYSTEM Filed June 8,1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 56 27 f 24 M 46 INVENTOR.

1 JAMES A. WINKER 2| 23 5% i BY 2 i 44 "Q9 so 4534 36 28 ATTORNEY Nov. 13, 1962 J. A. WINKER 3,

BALLAST SYSTEM Filed June 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

JAMES A. WINKER ATTORNEY 3,663,598 BALLAST SYSTEM James A. Winker, Sioux Falls, S. Dale, assignor to General Mills, Inc, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 8, 196i), Ser. No. 34,814 11 (Ilaims. (Cl. 222-52) The present invention relates generally to ballast systems and more specifically to liquid ballast release control systems.

Ballast is well known in the balloon art, and consists generally of a heavy material such as iron or sand etc., which is carried aloft with a balloon and is released as excess matter to equalize the weight of the balloon. Such equalization of weight is required when a balloon is to remain at a fixed altitude over a prolonged period of time e.g., several hours. During this time, atmospheric pressure or temperature changes occur which cause expansion or contraction of the gas within the balloon causing it to increase or decrease in volume and to ascend or descend beyond its prescribed altitude. Additionally, the material from which the balloon is constructed is not always impervious to gas and a certain amount of gas is lost by leakage diffusion through the walls of the balloon. Such leakage and diffusion also cause changes in the volume of the balloon. By releasing ballast as described above, the balloon is able to compensate for any decrease in volume which might occur so long as a supply of ballast is available for discharge.

While certain types of mechanical devices have been employed heretofore for releasing ballast, such devices have sometimes been cumbersome, inefiicient or subject to failure particularly under extreme changes in weather conditions. Likewise, electro-mechanical devices are not always desirable since an electrical spark could conceivably explode the gas within the balloon.

Thus in view of the above disadvantages encountered in the art, one object of the applicants invention is to provide an atmospheric pressure controlled liquid ballast system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid ballast release control system which is relatively free of moving parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid ballast system which will maintain a constant flow of ballast irrespective of the amount of ballast remaining to be discharged.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an atmospheric powered liquid ballast system which will dispense liquid ballast in response to increased atmospheric pressure.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification and the appended drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevationalview of a balloon in flight with one embodiment of the invention attached thereto.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevational View in partial section of the device of FIGURE 1 when the device is at ground level or during level balloon flight.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational View of the device of FIGURE 2 showing its operation during ascent of the balloon.

FEGURE 4 is a detailed side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3 showing its operation during descent of the balloon.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a balloon in ight with a further embodiment of the invention attached thereto.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURE 5 and illustrating the operation 3,063,598 Patented Nov. 13 I961? of the embodiment during the flight of the balloon and;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the device of FIGURE 6 illustrating the manner in which a. ballasthead is formed on the device of FIGURE 5.

In planning agballoon flight numerous factors require consideration. For example, the design of the balloon must be considered, the altitude to which it will ascend, the rate of its ascent, and the time it is to remain aloft. Also included in the weight to be considered is the weight of the ballast and the ballast system. Since atmospheric pressure changes tend to affect the performance of the balloon it thus becomes necessary when computing the amount of ballast to consider not only, the size of the balloon but also, the time it will remain aloft and the existing weather conditions under which the balloon is flown.

The ascent of the balloon can be controlled in some instances by venting the expanding gas to atmosphere through an open ended balloon. However, descent of the balloon whichcan occur due to contraction of the gases or by a small rupture in the balloon, etc. is controlled by the amount of ballast released from the balloon. For example, if a balloon is to remain aloft for eight hours and it is anticipated that due to contraction of the gas that the balloon will lose 500 feet in altitude, it is then necessary to discharge a suflicient amount of ballast to compensate for the contraction of the gas so that the balloon can maintain its prescribed altitude.

In presenting the following description, reference will be made to the employment of the invention with a constant altitude balloon. While the invention is particularly suitable for use with constant altitude balloons its utility is equally applicable to other balloons and lighter than air structures. p

r In some; instances it is desirable to provide a balloon flight which will remain aloft at a prescribed altitude for a relatively short period of time e.g., an eight hour time period. 7 In other instances it may be desirable to maintain a balloon flight aloft for a longer period of time e.g., a 24 hour time period. In either case it is evident that atmospheric pressure changes will occur which often aflect the flight of the balloon.

In the present invention, two embodiments are provided to illustrate the invention each having a specific utility in regard to the above performance requirements. To be more specific, the ballast system shown in FIGS 14 dispenses liquid ballast in response to atmospheric pressure changes to maintain a balloon at a constant altitude. Since the device is operable only on command from the atmosphere, it is particularly suitable for prolonged balloon flights. The ballast system shown in FIGS. 57 has specific utility for somewhat shorter balloon flights and is designed to continually discharge ballast during the flight of the balloon. Since ballast is dispensed constantly, the load' of the balloon is continually lightened and the balloon maintains anapproximately constant altitude despite loss of lift from gas leakage or reduced temperature.

Reference will be made'firstt'o the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 which is hereinafterrreferred to generally as an atmospheric pressure controlled liquid ballast system and more specifically referred to asan atmospheric pressure demand control system.

The demand control 2 is suspended beneath a payload 4 which is attached by a fitting 6 to the lower end of an open ended'balloon 8; The balloon 8 is formed in known manner of a light weight material such as polyethylene plastic and is provided with a sutficient amount of lifting gas (such as hydrogen) to carry the load 4 and the demand control 2 to a prescribed altitude.

The general operation of the demand control 2 can be described as follows. A predetermined amount of liquid or fluid ballast such as Water mixed with suitable antifreezing liquid iscarried aloft in a container 12 which has suitably attached thereto and communicating therewith a ballast dispenser 14. The ballast dispenser 14 has integral therewith a dispensing chamber 24, a liquid lock chamber 42, and a pressure chamber 40. The demand control 2 is acted upon by atmospheric pressure changes during the flight of the balloon which cause the liquid 60 within .theliquid lock chamber 42 and the air pressure within the pressure chamber 40 to either seal off the dispensing chamber 24 from outside atmosphere or allow air from outside atmosphere to enter the dispensing chamber 24 and dispense the liquid ballast 10 therefrom as will'be hereinafter disclosed.

Referring now to the construction of the demand control 2, the container 12 may be of substantially any shape or size but for descriptive purposes is shown as a rectangular, commercial type liquid container having a threaded spout 13. The container 12 when in use is injverted from its normal upright position and is suspended downwardly with its integral threaded spout 13 in a lowermost vertical position. The container 12 is supported in this position by a nylon support tape 16 which is adhered to the sides of the container 12 by means of 'a suitable adhesive and which extends through a .connecting link 18 attached to the payload 4. Although the tape 16 is suitable for certain applications, in other instances it may be desirable to provide other types of attaching devices for securing the tank to the payload or directly to a balloon.

The ballast dispenser 14 has integral therewith a connecting tube 11 which is secured to a threaded cap or lid 20 on the spout 13. While the ballast dispenser 14 can conceivably assume numerous shapes or configurations in the present instance it is shown as being substantially rectangular in shape and has provided therein integral transverse vertical walls or partitions 34 and 36 which are laterally spaced apart to form the dispensing chamber 24, pressure chamber 40, and the liquid lock chamber 42. The dispensing chamber 24 is also provided with an integral top 27, a bottom 28, side walls 29 and 31, and end walls 21 and 23 which enclose the partitions 34 and 36.

The connecting tube 11 extends downwardly into the dispensing chamber 24 and its lower end is spaced apart from the bottom or lower surface 28 of the ballast dispenser 14. The lower surface 28 is provided in the dispensing chamber 24 with an opening or discharge orifice 30 beneath the tube 11 and a liquid retarding or control material in the form of a felt pad or membrane 32 is positioned above and in close proximity with the orifice 30.

As will be noted from the drawing a lateral orifice or opening '38 is provided in the vertical wall 34 near its upper end and extends through the wall 34 between the liquid lock chamber and the dispensing chamber 24, such orifice providing communication between the two compartments. The liquid lock chamber 42 is further divided into three compartments, 48, 50 and 52 by transversely extending vertical plates or partitions 44 and 46. Thetvertical plate 46'is laterally spaced apart from the vertical wall 34 of the dispensing chamber 24 but unlike wall 34 does not extend completely to the lower surface 28 of the ballast dispenser 14. Likewise vertical plate 44 is centrally located between plate 46 and the outside vertical end wall 21 of the ballast dispenser 14. The plate 44 like plate 46 does not extend completely to the lower surface 28 but is spaced apart therefrom somewhat less than wall 46. Thus by the provision of plates 44 and 46 construction of compartments 48, 50 and 52 is as follows. Compartment 48 is formed between plate 44 and the outside vertical end wall 21, compartment 50 is formed between plates 44 and '46, and compartment 52 is formed between plate 46 and vertical wall 34. t From the above description, it can be readily compre- 4 hended that compartments 48, 50 and 52 of the liquid lock chamber 42 are communicated by the spaced relation between the lower ends of the plates 44 and 46 and the lower surface 28. Likewise compartment 52 is connected with the dispensing chamber 24 by the opening 38 in the vertical wall 34.

The pressure chamber 40 positioned on the opposite side of the dispensing chamber 24 between the vertical wall 36 and the other end wall 23 is connected by a tube 54 to compartment 48 of the liquid lock chamber 42.

Communication between the interior of the ballast dispenser 14 and the outside atmosphere is facilitated by an orifice 56 provided in the top surface of compartment 50. Thus the outside atmosphere can communicate with compartments 50 and 52 and therefore air can pass into the dispensing chamber 24 subject to the desired conditions hereinafter set forth. Air from the outside atmosphere upon entering the chamber 24 is free to pass through the tube 11 into the container 12 and upon entering the container 12 allows the ballast 10 to flow through the tube 11 into the dispensing chamber 24.

Thus the ballast 10 continues to flow through the tube until its upper level seals ofi the lower end of the tube and as the lower end of the tube 11 is sealed oif, air can no longer enter the tube 26 and the ballast ceases to flow as the result of the reduced pressure condition established in container 12 above the liquid 10.

The ballast within the dispensing chamber 24, which is hereinafter referred to as the ballast head 25 slowly seeps through the felt pad 32, is discharged through the opening 30. As the upper level of the ballast head 25 drops below the lower end of the tube 26, air again enters the tube 26 and the container 12 causing a new head of ballast to form.

' The liquid lock chamber 42 and the pressure chamber 40 are acted upon by outside atmospheric pressure changes and establish the conditions under which air is admitted to the ballast dispenser 14 and the container 12. As seen in FIGURE 2 an amount of liquid 60 is placed in the liquid lock chamber 42 and its upper level is sufficient to seal ofi the openings between the bottom 28 and the lower ends of the plates 44 and 46 and prevents from entering thedispensing chamber 24 and the container 12. The liquid 60 accordingly seals oft chambers 48, 50 and 52 from each other and prevents atmospheric air from reaching chamber 24 or container 12. Thus as some ballast flows out, a partial vacuum or pressure dilferential exists within the dispensing chamber 24 and/or container 12 which is sufiicient to stop the further discharge of ballast 10. 7

' 'The' liquid 60 in the liquid lock chamber 42 assumes various levels within the compartments 48, 50 and 52. In compartment 48, for example, the level of the liquid 60 only slightly compresses the air which exists between compartment 48 and the pressure chamber 40. In compartment 58 the liquid displaces the air therein and seeks its own level according to the quantity of liquid employed. In compartment 52, however, a vacuum is established between the level of the liquid 60 and the dispensing chamber 24. Therefore, the vacuum tends to draw the liquid upwardly to a point somewhat higher than the level in compartments 48 or 50.

When the balloon 8 rises as best seen in FIGURE 3, the outside atmospheric pressure is decreased and the air within the pressure chamber 40 is sufiicient to force the supply of liquid 60 substantially into compartments 50 and S2 and the excess volume of air escapes beneath the plate 44 through compartment 50 and the orifice 56 to the outside atmosphere. Air continues to escape during ascent of the balloon 8. However, when the balloon 8 reaches the prescribed altitude, the air within the pres sure chamber 40 is in equilibrium with the outside atmosphere and the level of the liquid 60 returns to the position shown in FIGURE'ZL As long as the atmospheric pressure is constant, the demand control 2 is not actuated and the supply of ballast is retained. border for the demand control 2 to be actuated the balloon 8 must then descend below its prescribed altitude so as to experience an increased outside pressure.

Such a descent can occur for example, during an evening period when the atmospheric temperatures are lower causing the gases to reduce the volume of the balloon 3. As the volume of the balloon 8 is reduced it starts to descend. As the balloon descends the atmospheric pressure becomes greater than the pressure within the pressure chamber 40 and as seen in FIGURE 4, air enters chamber 50 through opening 56 and forces the liquid 66 into the chamber 48. In so doing, the upper level of the liquid 60 drops below the plate 44 allowing atmospheric air to pass through opening 38 and into the dispensing chamber 24. As air enters the dispensing chamber 24, the ballast 10 runs into chamber 24- and increases the ballast head 25 which is discharged through the felt pad 32 and the opening '39. As the balloon continues to fall, the ballast head 25 is again forced below the end of the tube, atmospheric air again enters the container l2 and once more establishes the ballast head 25. The above process is repeated as long as the balloon is descending and until a suflicient amount of ballast has been released to equalize the reduced volume of the balloon 8. When the latter is accomplished the balloon 8 again rises to its prescribed altitude and the liquid 69 (because of a reduction in outside atmospheric pressure) returns to the position shown in FIGURE 2.

In contrast to the above situation, a need often arises for an inexpensive ballast control system which is applicable to balloon flights that are flown for a shorter period of time e.g., an eight hour flight. A ballast system meeting such requirements is shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 57 which dispenses liquid ballast from the time the balloon is launched until the ballast supply is exhausted and is hereinafter referred to as a constant bal last dribbler.

The constant ballast dribbler 72 is suspended from an attaching ring 71 beneath the payload 84 of an open ended balloon 88 and is provided with a dispensing cup 74 which releases a constant flow of ballast 90 from a container 92 which makes up for loss of lifting gas and therefore maintains the balloon 88 at a constant altitude.

The dispensing cup 74 is attached by a tube 76 to a threaded lid 78 on the lower end of the ballast container 92 and is provided with an orifice 79 for discharging liquid ballast. The lid 78 is threaded onto the spout 73 of the container Q2 and supports the dispensing cup 74 therebeneath. The dispensing cup 74 includes a top plate 80 in which is provided an orifice 82 between the dispensing cup 74 with the outside atmosphere. The bottom surface 87 of the dispensing cup 74 is provided with the previously mentioned orifice 79 and is covered by a felt pad 86 which controls the rate of fluid flowing therethrough. When the balloon 88 is in flight a supply of ballast 90 is constantly passing through the felt pad 86 and is continuously discharged at a constant rate through the opening 79 in spite of the large variation in head in tank 92.

As shown in the drawings, a ballast head 94 is formed in the dispensing cup 74 as air enters the tube 76 via opening 82 and continues to form until the level of the ballast '90 is above the lower end of the tube 76. Unlike the demand control 2 of the first embodiment, air enters the dispensing cup '74 at all times through the orifice 82 and therefore a continuous flow of ballast 99 is discharged as long as a supply remains. As the level of the ballast head 94 moves below the lower end of the tube 76 air once more flows into the container M; and the level of the ballast head again stops the flow from the tube 76. As the ballast 90 is discharged the load carried by the balloon 88 is continuously lessened and therefore temperature changes and gas leakage which would otherwise effect the volume of the balloon do not become suflicient 6 to cause it to descend below its prescribed altitude. Thus by the provision of the constant dribbler and a predetermined amount of ballast a balloon 88 is provided with means for maintaining a constant altitude as long as the supply of ballast lasts.

It will be appreciated that the invention makes possible a very inexpensive and dependable ballasting systems. -It can be considered Wholly expendable because of its low cost.

It should be carefully noted that the rate of dispensing ballast in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 once initiated remains constant. If a ballast container simply having an opening at the bottom were used, the rate of flow through the opening would of course change as the fluid therein is used up because of the great variation in head. The constant rate of fluid discharge has proved to be an important advantage of the present in.- vention.

The felt pad used in controlling the rate of How of liquid out of the dispensing chamber may be replaced, if desired, by any suitable device for controlling the flow therefrom. For example, this could be in its simplist form merely .a small orifice in the bottom of the dispensing chamber or alternatively an adjustable petcock. A porouspad such as felt is preferred because it provides a convenient method for maintaining a slow but constant rate of flow out of the dispensing chamber.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the valve may have other configurations than the one. shown. For example, one may use a compartment closed at the top and partially filled with fluid which communicates with the closed end of a U-shaped air passageleading from an air inlet to an air outlet whereby increased atmospheric pressure causes the fluid to move downwardly in the passage so that air may flow through the passage and decreased atmospheric pressure causes the liquid to move up into the passageobstructing the flow of air therethrough.

The pressure chamber 49 is not necessaryand may be omitted if the compartment 48 contains a suflicient amount of air. If for example only a very small amount of air is present in the compartment 48, a given pressure differential between the air in the compartment and the atmospheric air will result in a smaller up and down motion of the sealing liquid contained in the value and hence the valve will be less sensitive to atmospheric pressure changes.

In the above specification a disclosure of the principles of the invention is presented together with some of the embodiments by which the invention can be carried out. A

Now, therefore, I claim:

1. An atmospheric pressure responsive fluid ballast device comprising a ballast tank adapted to contain a ballast fluid; a dispensing chamber communicating with said tank and disposed below said tank; a valve for controlling the flow of fluid out of said ballast tank, said valve including a housing having first, second and third enclosed chambers and provided with a first passage, communicating between the lower portions of said first and said second chambers, and a second passage communicating between the lower portions of said second and third chambers, said valve being adapted to contain a liquid communicating between said chambers through said passages, said second chamber having an opening at the upper end thereof communicating with the outside atmosphere and said third chamber being provided at the upper end thereof with a port communicating with said dispensing chamber at a level above the point where fiuid enters said chamber from a said tank.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein first and second spaced apart partition means are provided in said valve housing to form said first, second and third chamber, and wherein the lower ends of said partitions are spaced above the bottom of said housing to form said communicating passages.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said partition means is located between said second and. third chambers and wherein said lower end of said second partition is spaced above the bottom of said housing to a greater extent than the lower end of said first partition.

4. An atmospheric pressure'responsive fluid ballast release device comprising a ballast tank adapted to contain a ballast fluid; fluid venting means at the bottom of said tank for permitting said fluid to be withdrawn from said tank and a valve for controlling the flow of fluid out of said ballast tank including a first, second and third chamber provided with a first passage communicating between the lower portions of said first and second chamber and a second passage communicating between said second and third chambers, said valve adapted to contain a liquid therein movable between said chambers through said passages, said second chamber having an opening at the upper end thereof communicating with the outside atmosphere and said third chamber being provided at the upper end thereof with a port communicating with said ballast tank, said second passage being located further upward above the bottom of said valve than said first passage.

5. An atmospheric pressure responsive fluid ballast release device according to claim 4 wherein said opening in said third chamber communicates with said tank through said fluid venting means.

6. An atmospheric pressure responsive fluid ballast device according to claim 5 wherein said fluid venting means comprises a dispensing chamber communicating with said tank and disposed below said tank.

7. An atmospheric pressure controlled liquid ballast system comprising a ballast tank for supplying liquid ballast; a ballast dispensing assembly below said tank having a pressure chamber, a liquid lock chamber and a dispensing chamber; a duct having a first opening in the lower end thereof communicating with said dispensing chamber and a second opening at the upper end thereof communicating with said ballast tank, said dispensing chamber having a discharge orifice means below said first opening communicating between said chamber and the outside atmosphere, said liquid lock chamber having first, second and third side-by-side compartments integral therewith and a passageway communicating between the lower ends of said compartments, said liquidlock chamber being adapted to contain a liquid having an upper level suflicient to block passage of air between saidcompartments, said liquid lock chamber having a first. and second orifice means in said second and third compartments respectively above the level of said liquid, said first orifice means communicating between said second compartment and the outside atmosphere, said second orifice means communicating between said third compartment and said dispensing chamber at a level above the lower opening of said duct; a tube connected to said first chamber above the level of said liquid and communicating between the first said compartment and said pressure chamber and means for restricting the flow liquid ballast through said discharge orifice means.

7 8. An automatic ballast release device for balloons and the like comprising tank means for storage of a ballast 'fluid to be dispensed at diflerent elevations, and valve means operatively connected to said tank for controlling the admission of air into said tank and thereby provid ing controlled discharge of ballast from the tank, said valve means comprising a liquid lock chamber adapted to contain a control liquid therein and having an air inlet open to atmospheric pressure, a closed pressure chamber communicating with the liquid lock chamber below the level of control liquid therein, said chambers and inlet having a relative construction and location adapted to cause relative movement of the control liquid in response to changes in the relative pressure between the pressure chamber and the atmosphere resulting from change in elevation of the device, and means responsive to predetermined relative movement of the control liquid for controlling the admission of air into said tank and the discharge of ballast therefrom.

9. A ballast dispensing mechanism comprising a main tank for containing a ballast liquid to be released at different elevations, an auxiliary tank connected to said main ballast tank for eflecting a controlled release of ballast from said main tank, said auxiliary tank including a liquid lock chamber open to atmosphere at one end and containing a control liquid normally at itsother end, a pressure chamber in communication with said liquid lock chamber so that the volume of gas contained therein can be changed due to atmospheric conditions sensed by said liquid lock chamber, and means acted on by said control liquid for opening said main tank to atmosphere in ac-,

cordance with the displacement of said control liquid within said liquid lock chamber.

10. A ballast dispensing mechanism for balloons and the like comprising tank means for storage of a ballast liquid to be dispensed having a lower outletopening through which said liquid is discharged at diflerent elevations, and valve means for controlling the discharge of liquid through said outlet opening including a housing providing a first chamber opento outside atmosphere at a location relatively near said tank means and providing a second chamber closed at one end and having its other end in communication with the other end of said first chamber, and a control liquid shiftable between portions of said first and second chambers, said control liquid being acted upon by suflicient increase in atmospheric pressure to cause operation of said valve means to open said outlet opening and to close said outlet opening upon a sufficient decrease in atmospheric pressure.

11. A ballast dispensing mechanism in accordance with claim 10 in which said outlet opening is closed by the sealing action of a liquid and the shifting of said control liquid causes the level of said last-mentioned liquid to lower and therefore open said outlet opening upon a sufficient increase in atmospheric pressure.

References Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 878,750 Schmidt Feb. 11, 1908 2,361,818 Brightwell oats, 1944 2,900,147 Huch et al Aug. 18, 1959 

